The Lotus Of Fire
by Daniko
Summary: "What was I supposed to do? Tsunade wouldn't have let me leave otherwise, and Konan said she didn't know how long you were going to stay. If I'd waited, you'd have been gone again by the time I got here..." R&R, please.


**Title :** THE LOTUS OF FIRE  
**Rating :** R

**Summary : **"What was I supposed to do? Tsunade wouldn't have let me leave otherwise, and Konan said she didn't know how long you were going to stay. If I'd waited, you'd have been gone again by the time I got here..."  
**Warnings :** Strong language; mentions of violence; slash; angst-y; AR.

**A/N :** While I added most of the themes that the lovely prompt asked for, I sort of ended up focusing on 'jaded kids'. That's okay, though it ended up sounding a lot more reflective than planned. I think it's my first try at 'getting Sasuke back', but the whole prompt gave me that vibe. I hope you enjoy it, Kumo. ;)

On another note, I'm ready to bow and worship my beta Sirona who helped tons to get to the point where I can do no more than to drool over it. Thanks a bunch, hun. Again. A bunch of thanks to Mi too, who is great to bounce ideas off; thanks, dear.

Vocabulary:  
- chabudai: sort of a low table.  
- hasu: lotus. Did you know that the lotus's meaning is 'rebirth'? Is she smart or unoriginal? you wonder.

~~*SasuNaru*~~*SasuNaru*~~*SasuNaru*~~

_"What are you going to do now, little brother?"_

_"I don't know, Itachi."_

_"You haven't got that many options. You have to decide now, or we're going to get caught . . . and it doesn't have to end like this."_

_"I promised."_

_"You'll keep your promise, but you have to choose your battles; if you return now, you'll be executed and you know as much . . . That stunt you pulled during the Kage Summit—really."_

_"I—"_

_"Now, Sasuke."_

_"Alright . . . Let's go."_

Uzumaki Naruto knelt in the shadows of an old house, his eyes fixed on his targets, not blinking and not moving a muscle, exercising the discipline that had taken him years to perfect. The moonlight cast bluish shadows down the stone path, and the third lamp to the left blinked rhythmically every three minutes; finally, the expected opportunity came in form of a cat's cry that sounded loud in the street, echoing among the walls.

Taking advantage of the noise, Naruto threw three kunai ¬¬– one at the blinking lamp and the other two at its companions, successfully obscuring the artificial light in the street.

The Gates' guards reacted immediately ¬¬– Kotetsu laughed at how Genma startled, but the latter knew better and, glowering at his partner, slid off his post to check the area. Naruto moved so fast that Kotetsu never knew what hit him; he fell unconscious to the ground, and Naruto was free to walk out the village without setting off any wards.

They would never know who had done it until it was too late.

In a fit of sheer recklessness, Naruto had packed up and left his home for the Gates, binding himself with chakra restraints to erase his chakra signature; he had even left a clone in his place. While every ninja worth their salt knew how to recognise a clone when they saw one, Naruto trusted that his treason wouldn't be discovered until he was safely inside the walls of Amegakure.

Jumping into the abyss below the vigil post of the Gates, Naruto felt the adrenaline pumping in his veins, just like when he had been an inexperienced Genin fighting for what he wanted. It felt so good to want to fight like this again; but he supposed he shouldn't be that surprised.

He landed as silently as an alley cat and swiftly rushed forward, muscles stretching and distending with the effort.

Not even once did he look back, even though his heart constricted with guilt and sorrow at the thought of leaving his village and Sakura, Kakashi and Tsunade; he loved all of his friends and fellow ninja, but those three in particular didn't deserve this disloyalty Naruto was laying upon them, and they sort of were personally involved in the matter as well. It was one more thing to feel guilty about: the fact that he wanted this moment all to himself. Hell, he bet no one else had dreamt about it for the past five years, not like he had.

This was a chance of a lifetime – quite literally, even – and there was no way Naruto would allow himself the luxury of waiting for the legal technicalities, and all the emotional baggage and cool caution Sakura and Kakashi respectively would bring along. Besides, Tsunade would have never let them leave the village if she knew what he would be doing by the time the sun rose.

The Fifth Hokage would have objected greatly to his travelling to the Land of Rain alone for such (according to her) petty reasons, especially in those unsound times. While Konohagakure openly supported Konan and her faction, the civil war that had afflicted the Land of Rain for the past several years was only now receding, mainly due to the help of the western feudal lord, and Tsunade didn't want her ninja in the middle.

Naruto stopped a couple of times to rest, for food and water, but he didn't waste any time otherwise, and reached Amegakure just as the new day was breaking. The sky had changed from pitch black sprinkled with tiny white sparkles to the purplish tone of dawn, and that was when Naruto came to a halt, his shinobi senses catching the subtle smell and sound of what could only be a ninja in his wake.

His weapons were already drawn when the cloaked stranger fell at his feet, coming out from their hideout in a nearby tree; but, just as Naruto was ready to attack, he recognised the person and his taut muscles relaxed right away.

"Konan," he said in guise of a greeting before getting right to the issue, "is it—is it really true?"

Konan threw her hood off, revealing her face, and Naruto noticed that she looked the same as five years ago: stoic, yet with somewhat understanding eyes, the paper flower still adorning her hair. She stared at him as if trying to figure him out.

"You left your village unauthorised, didn't you?" Naruto flushed a bit, but then looked straight at her and nodded, thinking that if anyone would understand it would be her; she'd understand why sometimes laws needed to be disregarded for the people you cared for, even if it pained you or even if it hurt you to do it. "I knew you would. Well, Amegakure will back you up. Always." Naruto managed to grin gratefully to disguise his nervousness.

"I might just need it." He paused briefly, before continuing, "Where is he?"

Konan placed a hand on his arm, pulling him down the path in the direction of Amegakure's Gates. They walked on, side by side as she said, "It's very important that you do not enter his location demanding to see him, understood? I'll not have our peace efforts wasted." Naruto nodded, fully intending on complying; it was the least he could do for her. "What do you know about his life in the past few years?"

"Nothing, actually. I haven't seen him in over four years," Naruto replied, more than a little bitter; from the corner of his eye, he could see her frown a little. "I haven't seen him since he ran away after killing Danzou. I tried to get Tsunade to let me search for him, but she refused and marked him as an S-class missing-nin. You know the protocol for these sorts of criminals."

It was the same in any village: kill on sight and burn the body.

"He is living with Itachi in the main house of a chain of pubs that runs throughout the Lands of Rain and Snow: The Fire Lotus, in Hasu." She stopped and held out an arm to stop him as well. "What do you want with him, Naruto?"

"I just want to talk." But he looked sideways into the dark trees and the path of moist soil as he spoke.

"Closure," Konan asked him knowingly, "for being betrayed by a teammate?" As he was about to reply, she continued, stopping his explanation, "Or by a lover?"

"W-we never . . ." he sputtered nonsensically before taking a deep breath and replying, "Nothing like that ever happened between us. He's just my friend—my first friend. Or was; I'm not sure anymore." He laughed self-deprecatingly. "Probably not my friend anymore, seeing as he tried to kill me several times."

"Hmm . . . I may not know him personally, but I know of his reputation," Konan mused, "and, if he really wanted to kill you, he'd probably have succeeded long ago, since you seem very reluctant to harm him."

Naruto refused to reply, or even think about it; people must think he was plain stupid to not have noticed the type of bonds that tied him to Sasuke.

It had been infinitely worse than losing a friend, because when you lost a loved one, it was not only your trust and heart at risk, but the very safety of your soul. Naruto had known he shouldn't be there, stalking Sasuke again, but his broken heart was rotting with betrayal, and the sting was so sharp that it had to be scratched from time to time.

Naruto looked around the incense-scented dim hall. The inside of the . . . establishment was a lot to take in. Like a harem chamber, there were lacy draperies isolating the tables and the scent of drugs, tobacco and incense lingered in the air, making Naruto queasy and lightheaded.

Women and men alike walked around in silky kimonos with pretty revealing cleavages, winking and leering at the customers invitingly, seducing them into a vortex of pleasure, pain and forgetfulness.

Naruto didn't like it . . . and he didn't like his table, with its purple puffs for seats and bouquet of reddish lotus floating in what seemed like a fishbowl, or the damned leering host. "Welcome to The Fire Lotus," announced the aforementioned person, holding out the menu as he fingered the low collar of his kimono with a knowing smirk. "I'm to be your host for the night."

The woman at the next table looked dazed. Naruto shook his head in exasperation: what could possibly be that exciting?

Before replying, he looked around this new world. Just to blend in, he picked one of the two plasticised cards that could only be the menu, skimming through it absently. Then he did a double take, just as the previous host approached him. "These are people's names! You psychos—you eat people here?"

Silence ensued. "That is the host menu, sir," said the host, "so that you can choose your company for the evening—"

"Oh my god! Is this a whorehouse? I was told that—"

"It is a host club, sir."

Naruto's eyes widened. The fellow must have thought Naruto was slow or something, but really – Konan should have mentioned as much. Naruto looked down, worrying for a moment about what he should do before rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Of course. Anything else would have been too easy . . . So, any suggestions, mister host?"

"Don't worry; your chosen companion will help you to relax if that's what is worrying you . . ." Was the sentence supposed to sound that suggestive? "Now, if I may: male or female?"

Naruto flushed bright red and sputtered indignantly, "That's private! Why would I share something like that with a complete stranger?"

The host blinked in astonishment, and who could blame him? Most people probably knew exactly what they wanted from The Fire Lotus. That was when Naruto was suddenly filled with an idea. "As matter of fact, why would I sleep with a perfect stranger? What if I catch something, hmm?"

The host bristled with annoyance. "We're not that type of establishment, sir! I assure you that our services—"

Naruto snorted. "Services! Pffft." By then, everyone in the room was staring at them. The host, having finally lost his patience – and his seductive twinkle, Naruto noticed – signalled someone at the end of the room; immediately, two six-foot men walked to Naruto, expressions grim and determinate.

Naruto refrained from rubbing his hands with glee.

As soon as the thugs got themselves within punching distance, he twisted his body and sent them both flying backwards. Several patrons shouted and scattered in direction of the bar, seeking the assistance of the employees. Two more guards approached him and tried to restrain him, but Naruto drew his weapons and pushed them away.

Pain suddenly shot through him from the general direction of his groin. Naruto squeaked and looked down to see cold, hardened eyes staring back at him; the three-foot man squeezed his balls tighter. "How's it, mate? Are ye goin' to leave peacefully?"

Naruto drew up courage from gods-knew-where and grinned impishly. "Why, I'm enjoying the exercise." He felt the threat coming from behind him, but he didn't defend himself; he had decided that the best way to get to Sasuke would be by getting caught.

The bastard would probably be so smug that he would come right to where Naruto was. If he was anything like the boy Naruto remember, that is.

_"Itachi!"_

_"Why, lovely to see you, little brother. Feel free to burst into my office unannounced any time the fancy takes you. What can I do for you?"_

_"Cut the crap! He's here! That fucking dead-last is here!"_

_"I know . . . He's a bit of an idiot, isn't he, though? 'You eat people here'—honestly."_

_"What do I do now? Itachi!"_

_"Calm down, Sasuke. Everything's fine. Now, you go do your job and deal with the trouble-maker. Off you go – and there's no need to glare like that, little brother."_

Naruto was used to pain – after all, he was a shinobi; but it still annoyed him that he was being beaten into next year by a bloody dwarf! And fuck, the man knew how to hit, if the blow to his kidneys was anything to go by. Naruto coughed up the blood that had pooled in his mouth.

"Geez, man! I've only been rude to your host, and this is what I get? What do you do when people steal from you? Pull their teeth out with pliers?" A full-on punch to the jaw told him that he was likely right.

Naruto fought with the ropes that forced him to stay in the chair. Perhaps it would have been smarter of him to take off the chakra restraints before getting into a fight, but he really didn't want to alert Sasuke or – heaven forbid – Itachi of his presence. At least the Nine-Tails was healing him, albeit begrudgingly.

"Come on man, let me go. This is hardly a fair fight. I'll even give you an advantage 'cause of your size, eh?" That had probably been unnecessary, though he felt smug at the cry of outrage the midget gave before punching him again. The guard pulled his nose up, and Naruto yelped in pain. "Lis'en to me, ye bastard. This ain't a place for foolin' aroun', got it? Ye'r lucky boss forbid meh to hurt people."

Naruto snorted. "Does he know you're too stupid to understand what 'hurt' means?"

"Smackin' crazy shits like ye ain't no real damage," the other replied, shrugging inelegantly. "Ye come here n' hurt our people, n' ye'r dead, mate. Nobody hurts ze hosts, n' lives to tell ze story."

Naruto gave him a dry look, "Buddy, if I'd wanted to hurt you, you wouldn't have known what hit you, you better believe—"

Outside the room, the deep rumble of someone gritting out orders was heard, followed by determined strides across the hall and people being shoved against the walls. "Where is Tarou?" a voice asked, just before its owner banged the door open, walking inside with graceful step Naruto was oh-so-familiar with.

Naruto's heart possibly stopped, and he refused to look at the intruder, keeping his gaze firmly on the floor instead, for the first time since being brought to the back room.

"Get out," Uchiha Sasuke said to his chief-guard through clenched teeth, voice very much grown-up, low and rough as if it wasn't used very often, although it was still similar to the one Naruto remembered so clearly.

The man apparently named Tarou hastened to comply, signalling his henchmen to follow, and sent a last smug smirk in Naruto's direction. The door closed with a quiet thud, leaving the two sort-of-old-friends in an awkward silence that neither knew how to break.

Suddenly, Naruto regretted very much deciding to come to the Land of Rain; he should have thought twice about this; but, then again, when had he ever listened to reason? At the very least, he should have thought about what to say and how to act.

However, even if he had, everything he could think of was that his closest friend was in front of him for the first time in years and that, for once, they weren't there to hurt each other. So, he peeked up.

The sight of Sasuke, clad in a silk kimono and looking positively delectable, unleashed something very small and vulnerable inside him – but there was no way Naruto was going to let it out; not now, at least.

Sasuke sounded oddly devoid of emotion; having grown used to the usual spout of hatred and sorrow, something felt off to Naruto. Sasuke was taller, broader in his shoulders and hips, infinitely deadlier and more powerful – Naruto could tell from the energy that radiated from his body.

He was wearing a mask of coldness and callousness, but his presence made Naruto's heart beat faster and his throat constrict; he felt like crying. Maybe in relief, because Sasuke was well and alive; maybe in happiness, because he was right there, in front of Naruto; or maybe in sadness, because this Sasuke's broken heart had been mended with hatred and guilt.

They stared at each other, neither moving, both willing the other to take the first step. It had been such a long while since they had looked each other in the eye.

Naruto had despaired of being the one to help Sasuke escape from the darkness that surrounded his mind after awakening his Sharingan, those eyes that twisted the mind of the user and fed on his sorrow, turning it into hatred. And who could have helped Sasuke heal from his loneliness and guilt for his family's fate, if not Naruto?

After a while, though . . . Sasuke had been beyond any hope, and Naruto had known that salvation would have to come in a different way.

While Naruto might not have been strong enough to save Sasuke, he knew he had been strong enough to stop him – they would have had to finish their business in the next life, yet he was okay with it – but he never got the opportunity. The Kages had got there first and Naruto had never even got the chance to say goodbye.

Naruto didn't even know how Sasuke had managed not to kill Itachi, when he had found out about Madara and Danzou, or how he had broken free from the darkness. He probably wouldn't know much of it anytime soon, either. This person might as well be a perfect stranger for all Naruto didn't know about him. The thought felt like a spear of possessiveness and jealousy through his chest.

"The only way in, that you could think of, was this?" Sasuke asked – but what should have come out as a cool insult sounded almost like an affectionate greeting between long-lost friends. Not that they had ever been such. "Why are you here, dead-last?"

Naruto didn't reply, ripped raw by an insult Sasuke had no right to use. However, there was something else, something deep and warm that shone in the corners of Sasuke's dark eyes. It was something Naruto would investigate. Still, he startled when Sasuke began to unfasten his bindings gently, only to stop abruptly.

"You've bound your chakra?" Sasuke now sounded disbelieving. "What are you, suicidal?" It was almost blasphemous for Sasuke to be acting so nonchalantly when years of hatred and hurtful words hung between them.

Naruto had wanted to know if his old friend still existed – that was why he had left Konoha in the first place – and then he saw it: somewhere in this cold-blooded Sasuke's manners, he saw his twelve-year-old friend – it was evident in the way Sasuke unfastened his Naruto's bindings and massaged his writs to ease the soreness, an absent-minded mannerism that the old Sasuke had also possessed.

The missing-nin leaned closer to check the bump on Naruto's head, his smell and the heat of his body seeping towards Naruto.

The feelings that the familiar sensations conjured were not the peaceful, exciting ones that had been there once upon a time. For the first time, it hit Naruto that Sasuke was past the point of forgiveness: he was too dangerous for that. Except for Naruto. Maybe.

In a rush of anger at the thought of all lost opportunities between them, Naruto turned and aimed a punch at Sasuke's face but, like so many times before, his fist was caught in Sasuke's hand and the latter held on tight, almost to breaking point.

Naruto stopped struggling, even though he knew that he could easily break free from Sasuke, and looked up into the deep pits of blankness that were the Sharingan eyes. Sasuke blinked and his hold loosened, but his hand didn't leave Naruto's.

Then his grip changed. It became softer, warmer; his fingers moved in a gentle caress over the blonde's knuckles, and a flash of awareness glowed in his eyes. It was the first clear emotion Naruto saw in him. The blonde gulped when Sasuke opened his mouth: "Follow me," he said, and Naruto did.

They headed down the hallway opposite to the one Naruto was brought in through; it led to an antechamber with many doors, each door with a different pattern and colour. The most colourful was a blue and gold one, and that was the one Sasuke opened.

Unlike the rest of what Naruto had seen of The Fire Lotus, Sasuke's room was rather simple and functional, although the materials were still of the finest quality. "Welcome to the Golden Suite."

Naruto stood in the middle of the bedroom, pretending not to listen as Sasuke showed him around. Still, it took him a while to notice that the other had fallen silent, gazing at him unblinkingly. It wasn't until it was too late that Naruto realised the mistake he'd made by looking up. Their gazes crashed and held.

Before Naruto's eyes, Sasuke changed; he saw something hard and tight give and Sasuke began shaking, shoulders tense and jaw tight, eyes wild and desperate. Naruto felt like Sasuke was slipping away, as he always seemed to do, unable to deal with this thing between the two of them.

Just like that, the world vanished in a spin of colour in the corner of his eyes and the only thing Naruto could see was this striking man, marred and hurt, but so beautiful in his sudden nakedness and powerful vulnerability that Naruto wanted nothing more than to keep him safely locked away in his embrace forever.

In a second, Naruto was at the other side of the room, pulling Sasuke against him with a desperation he hadn't known he possessed, any pretence shed in deference to his long-repressed, but suddenly overwhelming affection.

Sasuke returned the embrace just as hard, clutching Naruto to his chest too tight, as if he would disappear if Sasuke ever let go of him again and, before any of them knew it, their lips had crashed in a bruising kiss and they were twining tongues with the fervour of seven long, lonely years apart.

"Naruto." Sasuke's reserve had washed away in the passion of their unexpected, yet no less desired, kiss and he groaned in desperation, giving himself over even more to his old teammate and taking just as much. They drank each other in with raw passion – needy, hot, desperate.

"Damn you, Sasuke," Naruto muttered into Sasuke's lips, not easing his hold the tiniest bit, as if Sasuke might slip away at any moment. He had before, after all. Upon hearing those words, Sasuke tried to push the other away, but Naruto wouldn't let him. "Don't you dare, bastard! Don't you dare push me away."

"Just wait a fucking second, idiot!" But even as he said it, Sasuke didn't step away from Naruto's arms, and instead clawed at the other's shoulders, looking down as if fighting an epic battle. "This—this . . . what is this, Naruto?"

"This is me, not letting you go anymore."

"If you fuck this up, dead-last—if you dare to accuse me of anything after, I—I'll—" Sasuke tried to say, but he seemed unable to follow his own train of thought.

Naruto bristled in annoyance. "I'm the trustworthy one, remember, bastard? I'm the one who didn't betray—"

Sasuke's head snapped up, eyes blazing – more with self-loathing than anger at Naruto, though. "That right there! Don't act all self-righteous on me, idiot!"

Finally, Naruto understood the pain that Sasuke was letting himself feel, why he accepted his isolated existence and trusted only his brother. Sasuke had said it many times before, but only now Naruto truly understood: Sasuke thought himself an avenger, a demon unworthy of any good feelings that he could feel and be an object of. So much guilt – over ten years of it.

"I'm not acting like anything, Sasuke," he said instead, feeling oddly calm. "I've been nothing but honest; I want to bring you home and I want to cherish this bond we have."

It seemed impossible, but – just then – Sasuke pulled Naruto against him and held on as if to life itself.

There were still many things left unsaid – about regret, hatred, mistrust – but none of it mattered anymore, because the urgency was gone and the kiss had slowed into a gentle caress that spoke volumes of appreciation, need and affection. The hands that had gripped each other's arms painfully a moment before now roamed each other's frames, caressing and feeling, as the two young men learnt each other again – except that this time they didn't need to fight for it.

When Naruto's fingers curled in his hair, Sasuke sighed. He framed Naruto's face with his hands, brushing soft bangs away gently, and broke the kiss to stare into Naruto's eyes, their breathing loud in the fragile moment.

Naruto let his hands wander over Sasuke; arms, chest and downwards, until his arms curled around Sasuke's waist and he pulled him tighter against him this time, unable to speak through the lump stuck in his throat.

"I hate you for being here, dead-last," Sasuke whispered without feeling, but he seemed less interested in the reply than he was in Naruto's face, in mapping it zealously and searchingly.

"You know me: stupid and reckless," Naruto replied quietly, and that was the end of the conversation. There was much more to concentrate on.

Their senses were filled with each other, their scents more masculine and musky than they used to be, but familiar in an unexplainable way; skin rough to touch, but hot and demanding; deeper voices that panted with the difficulty of restraining themselves.

"Sasuke," Naruto breathed, burying his nose in the other's neck and inhaling deeply. "Sasuke."

Then all restraint wasted away. Emotional – and even physical – completion was not enough anymore; Naruto would not be satisfied until he had managed to devour Sasuke whole, have him forever in his arms, in his bed, in his mind and body and heart and soul, because he had never really belonged to anyone else, and no one else would ever have him that way, either – in this all-consuming passion and understanding.

They surged against each other again, this time shoving clothes open and tearing off the ones that couldn't be slipped away; embracing tightly, they staggered towards the bed, bodies getting hotter and hotter until they could do no more than give in to their desire.

Sasuke fell backwards, pulling Naruto closer, and they moved together with abandon, trying to bring each other off with frantic touches.

It was the most thrilling sensation Naruto had ever felt, Sasuke's skin hot and sweaty against his, watching his face unguarded in wide-eyed vulnerability, looking at Naruto as if nothing else could ever make him happy, as if nothing else could give him that much pleasure.

It was over much too soon, but they drank each other's groans of pleasure gladly, before slumping against each other, utterly spent. Only a timeless bond could possibly lead to that spectacular tsunami of pleasure that crashed over them; it could only be compared to the first time they smiled at each other, smugly and challengingly, when they had both reached the tree top using their chakra reserves.

As if thinking in tandem, they sent each other the exact same smile, of a shinobi who had just fought for something precious and had won, of a Sasuke and a Naruto who had just damn well beat each other at something yet again. Conversely, this time, it was well worth it for both of them.

Naruto rolled off Sasuke, but stayed close; as if he'd ever go anywhere now that he had Sasuke right where he wanted him. He pressed himself against Sasuke's side, trying to get as close as he could without pushing Sasuke away, wondering what Sasuke was thinking about what they'd just done. Sasuke didn't push him away, but also didn't try to get closer.

"Do you think this makes me gay?" Naruto asked, just because the silence was getting deafening.

Sasuke snorted a laugh. "How should I know? Do you jump men a lot?"

Naruto tried to smack him, just for the principle of the thing, but Sasuke caught his wrist and shoved him away. Not one to be so easily deterred, Naruto attacked again and soon they were rolling on the bed, sparring like old times, trying to force the other into submission while laughter bubbled up in their chests. "Damn, bastard, stay still."

The bed was smaller than Naruto had thought, and his movements faltered. "I win," Sasuke proclaimed, breathless, when he managed to pin his lover to the mattress; Naruto looked straight at him, feeling himself stir once again. Sasuke flushed and looked down to where their bodies rested together, as if embarrassed by his own debauchery, just before pushing himself off Naruto.

They settled side by side once more, pulling the silky sheet around them; the silence filling the room this time was comfortable and peaceful, their fingers entwined beneath the sheets, as if they were afraid that the tender gesture would be seen as something improper.

There was still too much hanging between them, the proverbial elephant in the room, and neither knew how to begin – but they were lying there together by choice, and neither wanted to leave anytime soon.

It was Sasuke who spoke first, "Aren't you going to start the usual lecture?" At Naruto's frown, he elaborated, "About getting back to the village."

Naruto tensed, but turned onto his side to face Sasuke, who was watching him with a blank expression again. "Right now, it'd be useless. So, let's just—"

"Why?"

Naruto sighed. "I can't exactly return to Konoha anymore," he explained, flushing a bit in embarrassment, "since I left the village without authorisation."

Sasuke froze when he heard this, before quirking an eyebrow with nonchalance; Naruto knew him better than that, however, and he could see the tenseness of his shoulders and the awed disbelief in his eyes.

Naruto sat up and crossed his arms over his naked chest defensively. "What was I supposed to do?" he asked in response to the unvoiced question. "Tsunade wouldn't have let me leave otherwise, and Konan said she didn't know how long you were going to stay here for. If I'd waited, you'd have been gone again by the time I got here—where are you going?"

Sasuke had got up and was browsing through his clothes, looking as if he was trying to stop himself from lashing out. When Naruto had finished, he lifted stormy eyes to his. "This is my brother's doing. His and Konan's . . . I should have known . . ."

"What? What's up?"

"We've been in Hasu since we left, idiot. You were played by those two."

Naruto's mouth curled into an 'o' of understanding; then he closed his mouth and locked his jaw. "So, you're just going to yell and nag at your brother for that, huh? I've already left the village. There's nothing you can do about that, except stay here and enjoy something your brother did for you. You owe me that much!" Naruto accused.

"I owe you? I owe you? I owe you nothing. You stalked me across the five damned nations on your own. I never asked you for anything."

Naruto opened his mouth to shout back, but pressed his lips together instead. "Here we go again," he muttered, voice muffled by his hands rubbing at his face; he looked up accusingly. "Look, you bastard, I'm tired of fighting over this. I get why you did it. I don't agree with it, but I get it. I don't want to fight over it anymore. Why can't you just leave it at that?"

Sasuke looked stunned, kimono still hanging loose in his hands. "Who the hell are you?"

Naruto looked away, cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "Many things happened since you left, you know. It was always leading to this. Did you know I'm the Fourth Hokage's son? You know, the one your uncle killed . . ." He sighed. "That sounded a lot more bitter than I feel, but look; I know what it is like to want revenge now and I know what it's like to have a family and lose it—you can't accuse me of not understanding you anymore, and I—"

"You know, the things I said—"

"You meant them, Sasuke, you know you did. You were angry, and you had a right to be, but it's over now; all the hatred is gone now; you avenged your family and the war is over. You can't run away from Konoha forever just because you feel guilty and afraid."

"I don't—"

"Don't lie to me, bastard." Naruto knelt on the bed and reached forward to pull Sasuke back into the sheets. "But it's okay; I'll help you out, I told you before that I'd shoulder half of your burdens. You can lean on me."

Sasuke did, although uninhibited ravishment of each other's mouths hadn't been exactly what Naruto had had in mind – though he supposed it had its merit. "I always have," Sasuke said when they broke away for air. Naruto's reply was to jump him again. They were never going to get enough of each other; it hadn't seemed likely when they were children and it was even less so now that they'd discovered this wonderful nuance of their enthusiastic relationship.

"I want to ask you something," Sasuke said afterwards – lips swollen as a result of their intense snogging session – turning onto his side to look at where Naruto lay with his head pillowed on his crossed arms, both of their bodies still flushed and sweaty and tingling with afterglow. "Why didn't you give up?"

"I've never given up on anything in my life, bastard, why would I—?" Naruto paused abruptly at the look Sasuke was giving him, and turned his head to glance out into the sitting room that could be seen through the silky draperies. "Between us, it has always been everything or nothing . . . even when I didn't get what that meant. I chose to give everything I am for you, to defeat you, to beat you up . . . To give my everything to help you out wasn't that much of a stretch. But you—"

Sasuke didn't need further explanation. "Yeah . . . I wanted to give away nothing; I couldn't afford otherwise then, but I ended up giving everything of myself all the same." Naruto looked back at his old friend, willing him to admit the implications of that statement. Sasuke had never been one to back away from a challenge, and he wasn't disappointed. "I meant it."

It seemed only right to seal that broken confession with a kiss that had no right to be as gentle as it was, especially between such dangerous men.

For a moment, they simply moved their lips against each other, conveying with a touch what would never be said with words – but it didn't take long for lips to part and the kiss to deepen; hands ran over heated, spent bodies that were still not ready to feed the spirits' need for more.

It was not enough, no matter what they did, and yet blissfully satisfying just to stay like that, sharing body warmth and comfort, nuzzling any spot of skin they could reach because they needed the closeness that much. There was nothing they could hide when lying this close together, but neither really wanted to, although there was something to be said about the awkwardness left after shedding the armour made of years of emotional isolation.

They broke apart for air, but Naruto didn't move from atop of Sasuke; rather, he let his head rest on his lover's chest. It took a while before a hesitant hand began carding through blond locks. "What comes next?" Naruto asked, his voice a mere whisper.

"I don't know."

"I could ask Tsunade for an appeal on your trial . . . Or I could resign as a ninja and live here, or we could—"

"Forget it," Sasuke interrupted, "We'll ask Itachi about it; I'm sure he has a plan. I bet Konan is in on it, too."

"Okay." Naruto looked up and placed a kiss on Sasuke's neck, just because he could, before getting up and stretching. "So, who do I have to screw to get something to eat around here?" he asked, with a glint of mischievousness in his eyes. Sasuke smirked, cheeks flushed and eyes shining wickedly, and Naruto just knew what he would say . . .

"That would be me, idiot." Naruto laughed, a laughter born from sheer happiness and soul-deep delight; Sasuke's lips twitched upwards as he got up and threw his kimono on, tying the obi carelessly. "I'll ask for something from the diner. Don't touch anything until I'm back." Naruto waved him off, but it was with smiling eyes.

It was only after days of loving debauchery and electrifying fumbling in dark alcoves of the brothel's diner that they'd got brave enough to go see the older Uchiha, who happened to be sitting in his private room at the time, taking care of the administrative business of The Fire Lotus. As it turned out, Itachi and Sasuke were quite the mafia lords around the Land of Rain.

"Oh, I've been expecting this day for quite a long time, little brother," Itachi drawled, looking up from his chabudai where several documents rested, as well as a set of tea. Itachi's kimono was black with a red obi, but the colours were the extent of his Uchiha tribute. "You have my blessing," he added solemnly.

That brought Naruto from his musings. "What—?" he asked, looking questioningly at Sasuke, who was rolling his eyes.

"Ignore him; it goes away after a while." Itachi's eyes gleamed at the barb, and he gestured for them to sit down. "What are we supposed to do now, Itachi?"

"I suppose I would be arranging a meeting with a priest and—"

"Itachi! People can't know about our involvement in this place." Naruto's brows furrowed in confusion.

"Fine; calm down, little brother." Itachi chuckled with merriment, before turning to Naruto to explain, "This village and all the surrounding area have been a battlefield since the Second Great Ninja War. They just needed someone to take charge; Sasuke and I had the money and the power to carry it through, though it started as a simple entertainment business."

He shrugged gracefully. "Everything is rather makeshift. It didn't take long before The Fire Lotus became our base." Then, at Sasuke, "I highly doubt we'll have any problems coming from the other Hidden Villages." Sasuke seemed to understand whatever Itachi meant, but Naruto was more interested in a specific part of the explanation.

"You're in charge?" he asked, surprised, and Itachi nodded before his attention was caught by his brother.

"I think it's highly appropriate that becoming the feudal lord gives you political immunity," the younger Uchiha deadpanned, "and gives Hasu the status of a Hidden Village. And we are loyal to the Land of Rain." He looked rather satisfied with the turn of events.

Itachi gave him an odd look. "The Land of Rain doesn't have anyone demanding loyalty. It's between us and the leader of Amegakure, and I must say that the meetings have been most satisfactory. Konan is, to all intents and purposes, the actual leader of the Land of Rain, and she's agreed to make me—us—responsible for its martial and economic support. We're in the middle of negotiations to merge completely. It's a rotten time to be dealing with a wedding, but . . . oh, well . . ."

"Konan was in on it? This whole time?" The brothers turned to look at where Naruto sat, looking sullen.

It was Sasuke who replied, "Yes, apparently."

Itachi elaborated, "She insisted on a peace treaty with Konoha, though. Neither Sasuke nor I are allowed to defy the village in any way; as long as you're there, that is. Her loyalty is only directed at you, Naruto." Naruto nodded. "She was giving us time to find a way to return," Itachi added, voice full of meaning. "Anyway, we're sending Sasuke to Konoha as an ambassador."

"Itachi," Sasuke protested, but his brother interrupted before he could say more.

"Oh, it may sound a bit boring now, but imagine how much fun you'll have when Naruto here becomes Hokage . . . all those hours in a boring office; I daresay you'll find something to keep yourselves, er—busy." The leer was impossible to miss, and Naruto glared.

Sasuke, on the other hand, was giving Itachi an unreadable look. "Thank you," he said simply.

"You're welcome, little brother." They nodded meaningfully at each other, before Itachi looked down at his work. "Now, go play elsewhere, because I have work to do . . . and, Sasuke?" Sasuke and Naruto stopped just as they were about to leave, and turned to face the eldest Uchiha. "Until next time." The two Uchihas shared a private smile.

**Epilogue**

"This is weird," Naruto said, approaching Sasuke where he stood at the top of the Hokage Tower, curling his arms around Sasuke's waist and nuzzling his shoulder lightly. "The day we get back in the village is the day it rains. I'm getting sick of all this water—"

"Idiot, stop that," Sasuke interrupted, voice oddly hollow.

"You're getting nostalgic," Naruto pointed out, taking one of Sasuke's hands in his own. He rested his cheek against Sasuke's shoulder; out of habit, Sasuke began playing with his hair. "I'd say, don't worry, but that'd be useless. Instead, I'll say, I'm glad you're home."

The light drizzle was evolving into a full-on downpour, but they stayed there, soaking wet, hoping that the cleansing rain would wash away all the guilt, hatred, and sorrow, and nurture the rebirth of their bond as if it were a blooming lotus.

THE END


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